MK9512 - Marketing Research and Planning

The lectures will provide you with a sound theoretical underpinning of the module content and these will be supported by a series of nine seminars and three computer lab sessions. Marketing research seminars and computer lab sessions are designed to provide you with ample opportunity to practice qualitative and quantitative data collection, coding and analysis skills. The quantitative research element of the module will enable you to learn how to use the SPSS software package. The marketing planning seminars will provide you with practical experience developing marketing plans for a company, brand or product of your choice. There will be a formatively assessed group work-based project conducted as part of the seminar series.

The module has an extensive reading list, designed to provide you with a range of sources on marketing research and marketing planning, which will aid your development of understanding of key marketing planning and research theories as well as practical marketing research and marketing planning skills.

Your directed study will support the work you have undertaken in the contact sessions. You will get the opportunity to conduct secondary and primary data collection as well as marketing plan development outside of designated contact hours,
Independent learning time is furthermore set aside for you to work on marketing research and elements of marketing plans, which will contribute towards completion of the assessment (a research-driven marketing plan for your chosen company/product/brand).
The practically aligned problem-solving nature of seminar activities and computer lab exercises means that tutors will provide you with formative feedback continuously throughout the module.

Support will be provided to you by team of academic staff members assigned to the module, who will be providing you with the lecture input. A team of academic staff members are allocated seminar and computer lab workshop groups which provides a closer, more personal academic support. Groups are typically based on study programme cohorts, so you will be taught here alongside fellow members from your particular degree.

Your module is supported by an e-learning portal, which houses lecture materials, seminar exercises, computer lab exercises and data files, alongside assessment details and various support facilities such as recordings of certain educational content, alongside other electronic support facilities such as ones indicated above.

You will be provided with a wide-ranging electronic reading list that comprises textbooks, academic journals and databases that are designed to assist your learning as well as facilitate data collection for the purpose of completion of assignments.

The summative module assessment consists of a marketing plan and research report, which also incorporates a primary data collection task, and you will be expected to work on this continuously during the course of the semester. This will encourage your active participation in the learning process throughout the semester.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Goal 1: Knowledge & Understanding:
• Understand and apply the key theoretical concepts of marketing research. (MLO1)
• Understand and apply the key theoretical concepts of marketing planning to inform appropriate business solutions. (MLO2)

Goal 2: Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Demonstrate self-reflection in the context of marketing research as part of your personal development. (MLO3)

• Ability to conduct secondary marketing research as well as qualitative and quantitative marketing research, supporting the development of research-driven marketing plans for businesses. (MLO4)

Goal 3: Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• An ethically sound approach to marketing research (including issues such as ethically sound treatment of respondents and data storage). (MLO5)

You will develop an individual written Marketing Plan and Research Report for your chosen company/brand/product based on secondary and primary data collection (both qualitative and quantitative).

The development of the plan should use marketing tools and techniques, which are introduced during lectures, seminars and laboratory exercises. The report will also draw heavily upon primary data collected as part of the summative assessment.

You will develop an individual marketing plan and research report, but pay particular attention to one element of the marketing mix. The report will include a reflective statement.

The marketing plan and research report also incorporate a primary data collection task, which involves securing five respondents, administering module questionnaires to them and coding these questionnaires into an SPSS document.

The marketing plan and research report will assess MLOs 1-5.

There will be a formative group work project undertaken and formative assessment will be conducted throughout the series of seminars and computer labs.

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Marketing research and marketing planning are core activities performed by just about any successful organisation in today’s society and therefore it is imperative for any marketing student to develop skills in these areas. Upon completion of this module, you will have learned how to conduct quantitative data analysis using the SPSS software package and how to produce research-driven marketing plans. Both of these skills are arguably quite rare among business degree graduates, however directly applicable in the workplace and, as a result, highly desirable to employers. The module furthermore helps you develop important qualitative research skills in addition to team working skills, both of which are appreciated by employers as well. To summarise, what you will learn on this module will be crucial when it comes to maximising your marketing job prospects upon graduation.